Locking tube fitting



Sept. 30, 1947. R lE HERQLD l 2,428,077

LOCKING TUBE FITTING l1v1-led June 27, 194e TTOPNM Perris Se. 3% 194.7

LocxI'NG TUBE FITTING Imbert II. Hernia, cleveland. oma-assignmto 'The Weatherhead Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a. corporation of Ohio l AppllcationJnn'e- 27, 19M, -Serial No. 679,749

My Invention relates to locking tube fittings and has for' its principal object the provision of improved,\easily detachable, andquicl: locking` arrangements for coupling tubes.

A further object of my invention is to provide a tube coupling Ain which the tubing may be quickly connected or disconnected. f

Stili another object is to provide a coupling in which the tubing isLsealed-automatically in the iltting without requiring compressive action of the members of the fitting other than the compression of the seal incident to insertion of the tubing in the fitting.

Other and furtherobjects.,. features .andad-y van'tages of the invention 'will .become apparent as the description proceeds.

In carrying out the invention i'n accordance,

with theV preferred form thereof,'I provide?. connector having a. bore adapted to receive a tube s claim. (ci. 28s-1:5)

connector Ilisshown by wav of illustration'as having an external pipe thread I4` for enabling it to be Joined to a'bulkhead, or the like, having a threaded opening with which the connection is to be made by the tubing I2. The connector II has a main bore I of such diameter as to provide a. slip-llt for the outer surface of the end portion VIl to vbe coupled and a lockingsleeve adapted to be f received in theconnector surrounding thetube. The tube is provided with a bead spaced a short distancefrom the end thereof for enabling it to l be secured within the fitting, and an 0ring seal is provided in the bore of the connector for preventingk leakage 'of uid runder pressure.

A better understanding of the invention will be aiorded by the following detailed description .'Fig. 3 is a longitudinaljmedial, sectional view of a;tube -coupling in which the'tubing may be locked bya fractional turn of the locking sleeve;

.Fim g i i a view of a cross section of the coupling shown in Fig. 3. represented as cut byr a plane- Hiwith the 'sleeve in thellocking position; andA y Fig. 5 is across-sectional vview corresponding to Fig. 4, but with the sleeve in the tube-detaching position.

`Like referencecharacters are utilized through- Iout vthe drawing to designate'like parts.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 oi the drawing, an illustrative arrangement there shown comprises a connector. II receiving a length of tubing I2 and arotatable sleeve, I3 surrounding the tubingI I2 Vand adapted to lock 'it .within vthe connector II. Although my invention is not limited thereto, the

Il of theI tubing I2. `In lorder to provide an automatic seal as the tube end .IG is 'pushed into the Vconnector bore I5. an O-ring type of seal is preferably provided, comprising la resilient ring Il `fitting -within an annular groove-l8 in the bore I5. Such O-ring seals'do not constitute a part of'my'present invention, but it will be understood that thev dimensions are preferably such vthat `a radial'depth of the groove I8 is less than the undeformed cross-sectional diameter of the resilient ring I'I, which, however, has a smaller cross-sectional area than the groove I8. A

The tubingV I2 is flared to form a protuberancev comprising a. bead orflange I9 near the end I 8 thereof, but spaced sufiiciently therefrom to'v per- InitA the end portion I6 of the tubing lI2 to enter the bore |75 and engage the 0ring seal I1. Preferably the connector II is provided with a counter-bore 2l -for receiving the bead or nare I9of the tube I2.

The sleeve Ia, whieh surrounds the tube n.15-

coaxial with the tube I2 andy the connector bore I5 receiving the tube I2. The locking sleeve I3 is. provided with a lug member or with a collar 22 having a variable radius with respect to the to permit the collar 22 to be readily inserted. In

the arrangement of Figs. 1 and 2 lthe connector face opening 24 constitutes an eccentric bore. The connector II is provided also with an undercut bore 25'within which the sleeve collar 22 may tit. The undercut bore 25 in the arrangement illustrated is, in eiect, a counter-bore, circular andY coaxial with the counter-bore 2I, vbut of f greater diameter, whereby the collar 22 is freely rotatable to 4any angular counter-bore 2i.

Preferably, means areretainingy the collar in which it is locked 22 in the angular position within the connector Il land thus locks the tubing I2 therein. To this end,

position within the 1 provided for yieldably 3 I preferably, a notch 28 is formed in the peripheral surface of the collar 22, and ajspring 21 is providedhaving a nose 28 adapted to be resiliently pressed against the peripheral surface of the collar 22,50 as to drop'into the notch 28. In order to permit the 0011111 22 to remain rotatable without excessive torque being required to overcome the force of the spring 21, the notch y26 is preferably relatively shallow, and the spring nose 28 is preferably relatively blunt. For the. sake o! compactness, the spring 21 may take the form of a locking wire corn-posed of a suitable material such as spring steel of nearly circular or semicircular form tting within an annular groove 28 formed around the head portion 3| of the connector II. It is to be understood that the head portion 3l of the connector' II may be formed hexagonal or polygonal in shape to facilitate threading the connector II into thepipe socket with which the threads Il are intended to mate. A suitable radial opening 32 is provided in the connector head 3| intersecting the undercut bore o'r counter-bore 25 so as to permit the spring end 28 to enter the counter-bore 25 and contact the collar 22. If desired, a similar opening 33 may c,also be provided 180 from the opening 32 for receiving the opposite end 34 of the wire 21 to hold the latter in position. The end 3l may be bent inward but is cut oii short enough so as not to enter Kthe counter-bore 25.

When it is desired to couple the tubing I2 with the connector I I, the sleeve I3 is first placed over the right-hand portion of the tubing so as to come to the right of the bead I9, and the tubing is then inserted in the bore I5. The collar 22 is outline of the collar 31, and having the shape of a circle with flattened sides, is provided in the face 42 of the connector II'. A locking wire 21 is provided, as in the arrangement of Figs. i and 2, and one or both of the lobes 33 of the collar 31 is provided with a spring nose receiving-notch 2l, as in the arrangement of Figs. 1 and 2.

'In order to insert the sleeve 38, it is turned to the position illustrated in Fig. y5 to enable the collar 31 to be inserted in the opening Il inthe connector il. After the tube I2 has beenpushed into the bore I5 so as to engage the O-ring seal and bring the bead-:Il into the smaller counterbore 2|, the sleeve 38 is rotated 90 to the position illustrated in Fig. 4, in which the spring nose 28 drops into thenotch 28 and yieldably locks the parts in position. The sleeve may be disconnected quickly, and the tubing may be detached quickly and easily bysimply rotating the collar 31 90 in either direction, exerting suilicient rotary force to cause the spring nose 28 to rise up on the sloping sides of the notch 28.

inserted in the opening 24 and then turned to the position in which the collar is locked by the overhanging portion 35 of the face 23, in which position the spring nose 28 drops into the notch 26 and locks the sleeve I3 against further rotation.

Referring to Fig. '2, it will be observed that the notch 26 is in the maximum radius portion of the collar 22, and likewise the opening 32 for the spring nose 28 is in the portion of the counterbore or undercutbore at which the radial overhang of the face 23, with respect to thel outer periphery of the bore 25, is greatest. The eccentric bore 24 for receiving the eccentric collar 22 has a maximum radius (measured from the connector axis) 180 from the opening 32. Accordingly, the collar 22 and the sleeve I3 are rotated 180 from the position in which the collar 22 is inserted in the eccentric bore in order to reach the locking position in which the spring nose 28 drops into the notch 28. In order to accomplish the locking with a fractional rotation of the sleeve I3, I provide a collar with a plurality of lobes instead of a single lobe as in Figs. l and 2. For example, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, a double-lobe collar may be provided so that the locking is accomplished by a 90 rotation of the sleeve.

In the arrangement of Fig. 3, as in the arrangement of Figs. 1 and 2, there is a connector il' havi'ng a tube-receiving bore I5 and a counterbore 2I for the tube bead I9. Likewise, the connector Il' has a circular concentric counter-bore 28 of a greater diameter than the counter-bore 2|. There is a sleeve 36 with a double-lobe collar 31, which may, for example. have a concentric circular outline with segments '38 cut away so as to leave two symmetrical lobes 38 iitting within the circular undercut counter-bore 3 5. An opening 4I, corresponding in shape to the I have herein shown and particularly described certain embodiments of my invention and certain methods of operation embraced therein for the purpose of explaining its principle of operation and showing its application, but it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many modifications and variations are possible and I aim, therefore, to cover all such modifications and variations as fall within the scope of my invention which is defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A tube coupling comprising in combination a tube having a flare spaced from the end thereof, a connector having a bore adapted to receive the tube, a sleeve surrounding said tube on the side of said flare away from the end of the tube, and a lck wire, the connector bore having an annular groove therein containing an O-ring for sealing the tube in said bore against fluid leakage, said connector having a ilrst counter-bore receiving the tube nare, having an eccentric bore beyond said counter-bore, and having a concentric second counter-bore of greater diameter than the ilrst between the said iirst counter-bore and theeccentric bore, said sleeve having an eccentric collar adapted to fit loosely in said eccentric bore and fitting within said second counter-bore, whereby the sleeve collar may be inserted in said eccentric bore for assembly of the coupling and may be turned 'within the second counter-bore to a locking position for securing the tubing in said connector, Asaid connector having a radial opening intersecting said second counter-bore, said lock wire being mounted on said connector with a prong pressed resiliently inward through the opening in said connector, and said collar having a notch adapted to engage said wire with the collar turned to the locking position thereof. y

2. A tube coupling comprising in combination a tube having a iiare spaced from the end tliereof, a connector having a bore adapted to receive the tube, and a sleeve surrounding said tube on the side of said nare away from the end of the tube, the connector having 'a first counter-bore receiving the tube flare, having an eccentric bore beyond said counter-bore, and having a concentric second counter-bore of greater diameter than the first between the said iirst counter-bore y end thereof, said coupling comprising a connector and a sleeve adapted to surround the tube, the connector having a main bore providing a continuation of the passageway through a tube, having an eccentric bore at the face of the connector, and having an undercut bore. said sleeve having an eccentric collar adapted to ilt loosely inl said eccentric bore andl iltting within said undercut bore, whereby the sleeve collar may be inserted ,in said eccentric bore for assembly of the coupling and may be turned within the undercut bore for securing the tube'in said connector.

' 4. A coupling fora tube having a protuber ance near the end thereof, said coupling comprising a'connector and a sleeve adapted to surround the tube, the connector. having a main bore providingla continuation of the passageway through a tube. having an opening in the connector face in the form of a circle with ilattened sides. and having an undercut circular vbore concentric with the main bore between the face opening and the main bore, said sleeve having a collar conforming substantially, in shape to the face 'opening and adapted to t therein.- and fitting within the undercut bore. whereby the sleeve collar may be inserted in said face opening for 6 assembly of the coupling and may be turned within the undercut bore for securing the tube in said connector.

5. A coupling as described in claim 4, having n *resilient `means for yieidably retaining the sleeve' in an angular position away from that registerv ing with the face opening, whereby the sleeve is secured in said connector.

6. A tube coupling comprising in combination a connector and a tubular member carrying a collar, the connector having a bore serving as a continuation passageway for the tubular member,` having an eccentric bore at the face thereof and having a concentric counterbore of greater diameter than either of said bores between the eccentric bore and the remainder of the coupling, said tubular member having an eccentric collar adapted to ilt loosely in said eccentric bore and tting within said concentric counterbore,

whereby the tubular member may be inserted in said eccentric bore for assembly of the coupling and may be turned within the counterbore` to a locking` position for securement in said connector.

ROBERT E. HEROLD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the tile of Vthis patent: l

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Lewis Feb. 25, 1873 Number 

